Tattered Past

Tuesday, November 29, 2011

On one of my Yahoo groups we got on the subject of people we would like to give a wake-up call in some way. It got comical as one member wants a dart gun so she can shoot idiots on television, another wants a tank to run through certain areas of government or crowded stores and then they came up with those air horns they use at sports events for people who block doorways.

Some of us yell or make snide remarks or sometimes just move shyly away but we don't really do anything about it and then we have to decide if we are going to let it ruin our day (which is a whole different subject.)

What I really noticed about this conversation was that we all hate the same kinds of things, have had the same types of experiences and wish we could just stand up and do Something. Reading what others had to write and their suggestions on how to deal with the human irritants was therapeutic in itself. I actually found myself chuckling.

So here's a list of human irritants and a few ideas on how to deal with them. I hope you get a few chuckles.

1. People in a crowd of slowing traffic stop in front of a store door or whatever and cause everybody else to have to wait while they stand in the doorway and check their cell phone or decide which way they want to go.

2. People on cell phones in restaurants.
3. People in line, say at the post office, who don't pay attention when they are being called to the counter.

4. People moving chairs around in a coffee shop or similar and not picking them up so there is a huge screeching noise.

5. People who stand in line and when it's their turn to pay change their minds, or have to dig for five minutes in their bag for their money, or actually want to run and get one more thing.

6. In stores where there is one line and the cashiers don't pay any attention to the person in front of that line and instead wait on whomever might be standing in their space.

7. Cell phones ringing during talks and plays and even worse . . . the people who answer them.

8. People who talk on the phone (or sometimes in person) with a piece of hard candy or wad of gum in their mouth.

9. Standing in front of a display looking at something and somebody steps right in front of me to look at the same thing.

10. Texting or talking on the phone while driving, walking in parking lots, in a crowd, or while someone is trying to talk.

11. Tailgaters.

Well, I could come up with more and I'm sure you each have your own list.

I'm sure you have all heard the trick of when you have to get up in front of a crowd and are very nervous picture them in their underwear. So what I'm thinking is if we all have funny things to picture when these irritating people get in our way then it will help us smile and move on.

As I was driving around today I pictured a big train horn to get people to pay attention. Or carry around a chopstick to poke people in the ribs when they get in the way or cause problems. How about a fake hand to take the candy. Slapstick type things come to mind.

Of course, we couldn't or wouldn't do these things but I bet you will remember this post and perhaps smile a bit next time you meet up with a human irritant.

4 comments:

I remember when I read Emily Post's book of manners when I was a pre-teen. The first rule of good manners was to be considerate of others.

We live in a world where some people have really embraced being considerate of themselves first and everyone else afterwards. I completely appreciate when a person - man or woman - is walking out a door and holds it for me. Courtesy. It separates us from the wolves.

I like to imagine that people have on a clown face, then we can smile and wave and chuckle and they can wonder what we're so merry about. I saw a man the other day stopped at a light across from me and he was clapping his hands and singing and I started doing it too. As we passed each other we grinned at each other like 2 goons as we bopped to the sounds filling our air.

following on from Teri's comment, the thing that really annoys me is people who don't say thank you when you hold a door for them/let them pass/help in some way. Simple good manners! I'd like a megaphone to shout it at them!

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About Me

A few things I enjoy:
Photography, mixed media art, researching history, writing, history of the Old West, genealogy, being with friends, Tombstone history, discovering myself, reading, and teaching what I have learned about these things.
Things I love:
My family, my home, and my dog.